Pizza, Beer & Elephant Ear

My 4th of July started off at 4:50 in the morning. I woke up, although I am not sure I ever went to sleep, to a well packed car, which needed nothing but passengers. My sister Kim and Jason joined me for the ride. Hillsboro was about an hour away from Springfield and we made it there by 6:30. Just in time to register and relieve ourselves.

I did a short warm up, after showing Jason, our stand in Hardy Breed photographer, how to use the camera. My bike was in transition and was ready to go.

The Biathlon started with a 5 mile run down a long and steep hill. It was an out and back course. So it would be a hilly finish. I lined up close to the front and left with the gun.

The first mile was mostly down hill. I tried to use all the free speed I could get. I passed a few until I got into a rhythm and landed on Joel Johnson’s heals. He is a great runner and I knew that he could give me the consistent pace I needed. The first mile was 6:30, the second, 6:32, the third, 6:32.

I noticed my nemesis Andy up ahead in yellow. Joel pulled me up within striking distance, but Andy was too tough on the run today. He was running out front with a great pace.

I had fallen off of Joel’s heals at mile 4. I had one more to go. Carl Benton came up from behind and we ran side by side the final mile. That hill before the transition was a killer.

My transition was smooth and quick. I did not realize were my nemesis had landed after the transition. It took a good three miles before I saw the yellow. I closed in at around 20 mph. I passed Andy and saw no response.

I kept the pace up until the turn around. I looked like I was in the clear. 6 people had aready turned around and that put in in 7th overall. The question was how many of them were teams and how many were solos?

My pace at the turn around quickly sky rocketed to over 30mph. I had the wind at my back and the elevation was working in my favor.

The pace leveled out at around 28. The miles were ticking down much faster on the way in than on the way out. The last mile came and the giant climb to the finish was over.

I ended up finishing 3rd over 1:26:15. A podium finish. I was happy with my run time and an somewhat strong bike.

I was shot but the family headed out to Coz’s for Pizza and Beer. Then to the crappy fireworks downtown, where I finish off the night with some fried dough. (Elephant ear.)